OBSERVANCE OF THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY AND NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES MONTH 2017

1. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10689 entitled An Act Declaring August 9 as National Indigenous Peoples Day and Mandating the Meaningful Observance Thereof, and Presidential Proclamation No. 1906, s. 2009 entitled Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as National Indigenous Peoples Month, the Department of Education (DepEd) enjoins all its offices and schools to observe the said national celebrations, through various commemorative and advocacy activities.

2. The 9th of August of every year is also celebrated as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, as decided by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (Resolution 49/214). This year, the commemoration holds added significance as the DepEd celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 20th Anniversary of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 (Republic Act No. 8371).

3. As the primary government agency mandated to protect and promote the right of every Filipino learner to basic education, including the inculcation of values that promote recognition of the nation’s cultural diversity, the DepEd intends to substantially contribute to the objectives of the said observances through its extensive network of schools, field offices, and various learning programs.

4. This is consistent with the aims of the K to 12 Basic Education Program and the National Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Policy Framework (DepEd Order No. 62, s. 2011), which stipulates that within the framework of maintaining inclusive and effective learning environments, the DepEd shall nurture, among all learners and DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel, respect for human rights and cultural diversity and that DepEd shall promote greater awareness and appreciation of the Indigenous Peoples’ cultural heritage and history – an integral, yet often neglected, part of the Philippine nation’s cultural heritage and history (Section 15-g).

5. For this year’s observance of the National Indigenous Peoples (IP) Day and National IP Month, the DepEd shall be guided by the theme Pagkilala sa Pananagutan ng Bawat Isa: Mahalaga sa Pangangalaga ng Ating Ipinunla sa Katutubong Edukasyon. The theme highlights the need to deepen the understanding of the specific role of each and everyone who has a stake in IPEd in protecting and nurturing the initial gains of the program. The DepEd is ensuring the growth and maturity of the seeds that everyone has painstakingly planted in IPEd by building and strengthening the appropriate support system in curriculum and governance, especially the mechanisms for dialogue and partnership between DepEd and IP communities. The integrated commemoration of the National IP Day and IP Month shall focus on cohesive advocacy activities that promote commitment from DepEd’s internal stakeholders on their specific accountabilities on the IPEd Program, and supporting IP elders and other community representatives engaged with DepEd in consolidating wider community support, anchored on the IPEd Frameworks formulated with the schools division offices (SDOs).

6. In line with the abovementioned theme, the regional offices and SDOs, and schools are enjoined to support the national celebrations by undertaking appropriate and relevant activities during the week of August 7 to 11, 2017 (for the commemoration of the National IP Day on August 9) and from October 1 to 31, 2017 (for the National IP Month) through, but not limited to, the following:

a. conduct of appropriate learning activities which promote the objectives and message of the national celebrations (e.g., activities that promote awareness of and respect for indigenous cultural communities, particularly those within or proximal to the school vicinity);

b. conduct of advocacy activities for teaching and non-teaching personnel, and other stakeholders;

c. hanging of streamers/banners in strategic places in the vicinity of DepEd offices and schools (an electronic file of the standard layout shall be provided to regional offices by the DepEd-Indigenous Peoples Education Office/IPsEO); and

d. featuring of the event and other IPEd-related activities on the website and other communications media of the regional and SDOs, and schools.

7. For DepEd personnel, it is highly encouraged that the said observances be maximized as an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of key DepEd policies on IPEd, such as the IPEd Curriculum Framework (DepEd Order (DO) No. 32, s. 2015), the implementation of the IPEd Program, as well as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Online resources are available at http: / / www.un.org/en / events / indigenousday / resources. shtml).

8. It is reiterated that the planning and conduct of activities are to be guided by the Department’s Guidelines on the Conduct of Activities and Use of Materials Involving Aspects of Indigenous Peoples Culture (DO No. 51, s. 2014), which are meant to provide guidance on the ethical assessment of the conduct of learning activities and related engagements of schools, DepEd offices, and other education initiatives, which involve various aspects of indigenous peoples culture. Likewise, field offices and schools are enjoined to consult and collaborate with indigenous community elders and other culture bearers as appropriate in the conduct of activities.

9. Regional offices and SDOs, through the IPEd Focal Persons, shall ensure the proper coordination of activities and compliance with the guidance provided in this Memorandum. Expenses incurred relative to the conduct of activities shall be charged to local funds, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

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